Mariners say goodbye as Ken Griffey Jr retires

An era comes to a close, as Ken Griffey Jr has announced his retirement on June 2, 2010, right before a game against the Twins. Griffey caught just about everyone off guard with the announcement. The decision seems to are on his mind for a while, and he would rather call it a day early than remain on the team for the sake of nostalgia. He had an accomplished career. He retires with the fifth most home runs in baseball.

Resource for this article: Ken Griffey Jr retires from Mariners, baseball By Personal Money Store

Ken Griffey Jr retires after 21 years

For sports individuals of the Pacific Northwest, there are few who loom as large as Ken Griffey Jr. The Mariners and Ken Griffey Jr are about as inseparable within the minds of fans as Babe Ruth and also the New York Yankees are. He debuted professionally in 1989 and along with his father, Ken Griffey Sr, were the only father and son to play for the very same team at the very same time. He was each bit the prodigy, and was prolific on offense and defense. He won the Golden Glove from the American League 10 times and hit nearly 400 home runs in his original stint with Seattle.

The Kid departs from the Emerald City

By the time he was traded, Griffey had been wanting to move closer to his family, which was always his greatest priority. He was traded to the Cincinnati Reds, the team his father won two World Series on. He was plagued by injuries, even though he was incredibly productive when fit. Half way through the 2008 season, Griffey was traded to the White Sox. When he entered free agency, there was a public outcry for the Mariners to get him back on the roster.

The return of the prodigal son

Returning in 2009, he hit 19 home runs within the 2009 season. However, the 2010 season was not going well for him, as he had no runs and few at bats. He was listed on the reserve for the game against the Twins, as outlined by the Seattle Times. An emergency press conference was called just before the game, where it was disclosed he had pulled the plug. He said all along his retirement would happen in the blink of an eye and he had personally vowed "never allow myself to become a distraction." It seemed that he knew it was time, and called the game.

Additional info at these websites

Seattle Times

seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/mariners/2012015906_griffey03.html